ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. march — music
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. march — the month
  7. pit — a hole
  8. shower — to wash
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. last — finally
  11. last — to go on
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. pit — in a race
  15. march — the month
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. shower — rain
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. last — final
  24. wake — a trail

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com